Nurse and taxi driver banned for drink driving

A HOSPITAL staff nurse in Shetland was arrested after crashing her car while more than four times the drink driving limit, Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday.

Rosalind Beal, of Braefield Cottage, Stove, Sandwick, who pled guilty to drink driving, was seen by an off duty police officer as she drove through Cunninsgburgh on Monday evening this week.

The policeman saw her car crash through a fence at the Voxter junction, and then reverse across the road and land in a ditch.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said it appeared that despite her job, she appeared to be a chronic alcoholic, although she had no previous convictions.

Sheriff Graeme Napier deferred sentence for background reports and disqualified Beal until her next court appearance in four weeks.

Meanwhile 46 year old taxi driver David Wall, of 2 Patterson Close, Lerwick, must find a new job after he was banned for 18 months and fined £700 for driving his company cab while almost twice the drink driving limit at 8am last Friday morning.

The court heard that Wall, who admitted drink driving, had gone out and drunk seven pints the night before after feeling lonely on the occasion of his deceased sister’s birthday, but believed that he was sober enough to drive the following morning.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the police had been tipped off that Wall drove his taxi while over the limit.